Barcodes are expected to disappear from UK shop items within the next five years, a report by GS1 UK has revealed. Retail expert Kate Hardcastle suggests that new technologies, which provide data directly to consumers, are key in restoring consumer trust and marking the end of traditional barcodes. The upcoming generation of Smart QR codes is set to give consumers immediate access to extensive online information about products and will also 'go beep at the till'. A survey reveals that 41 per